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A crowd listens as Knoxville developer John Turley discusses his planned Dumplin Creek retail complex in a public meeting on Thursday at the Bass Pro Shops off Exit 407 in Sevier County. Turley said a large retailer will be visiting the Dumplin Creek site Feb. 11.
KODAK - In the second public meeting in two weeks to promote his planned Dumplin Creek retail complex here, Knoxville developer John Turley said Thursday a large retailer whose stores post average annual revenue of more than $120 million plans to locate in West Knoxville's Turkey Creek center and also is looking at Dumplin Creek.
Days after speaking at the 407 Merchants Association, Turley met with local real estate agents, developers and home builders during a meeting at the Bass Pro Shops off Exit 407 in Sevier County. He showed them site plans, marketing handouts and a petition addressed to city officials.
Out of the more than 100 people in attendance, approximately 40 had signed the petition by the meeting's end.
Referring to the unnamed retailer, Turley said, "It took me five years to get them to come to West Knoxville" and that an official announcement will be made in another six months at Turkey Creek. He said the retailer will be visiting the Dumplin Creek site Feb. 11.
Turley is seeking a public/private partnership with the city of Sevierville in which the city would put up two-thirds of the money (about $8.5 million) to build a road to his delayed Dumplin Creek project. The remaining one-third would come from the developer and federal agencies.
If the road goes through, Turley - who developed Knoxville's popular Turkey Creek commercial corridor on Parkside Drive - has said state and federal governments have agreed to put in an additional Sevier County interchange, Exit 408, to help alleviate traffic congestion.
Turley claims tax collections from Dumplin Creek would allow the city to pay off its Central Business Improvement District debt of $150 million early and provide an enormous savings to the city. A portion of the $150 million has been used to build an events center and make infrastructure improvements. The debt is to be paid off through sales tax revenues in the Tourism Development Zone (TDZ).
With retail spending down, Turley said the CBID "is losing $200,000 per month, or $2.4 million year" in tax collections versus its debt service. Turley, who refers to himself as an "outsider," promises a "fix."
Asked if after the TDZ loan is paid back, would taxes collected in the zone also be used to pay back the $8.5 million, Turley responded that the city would receive a "very sound" return on investment. "Put up $8.5 million and we give $150 million back," he said.
City officials are preparing for their annual retreat next week and the road will be one of the items on the agenda.
"I'm terribly excited to see the nature of the people here who are representing home builders, developers and Realtors who are themselves key components of our growth and development. And I hope from this they are able to conclude the importance of a project that will facilitate our community with additional ingress and egress," said Sevierville Alderman Barry Gibbs, who also attended the previous meeting of the 407 Merchants Association.
"I'm of the opinion if we do nothing we will drown in our own best intentions," he added.
During the two-hour meeting, Turley answered numerous questions, including one about reports that Walmart is an anchor tenant in Dumplin Creek.
"Walmart spent at least $500,000 on this site themselves. Their own company has been on our site from day one," Turley said, adding that there are other large retailers interested as well, including J.C. Penney, Best Buy and a "very large" tenant coming to Turkey Creek.
A Jefferson County resident told the crowd that she would like to see the development completed. The unidentified woman said she doesn't shop in Pigeon Forge and Sevierville because of the traffic and that she drives to Knoxville to shop because there isn't much retail in Jefferson County. She contended that Dumplin Creek would benefit Jefferson County because it is a closer drive along Interstate 40.
Sevier County resident Sylvia Cate, who said she owns land off I-40, said after the meeting that Dumplin Creek would benefit the city. She said she would like to see more support from Sevierville and the county for the project.
"I think the city should give the money for the roads. We do need the 406 and 408 exits and that would help with the traffic. It would help the whole area," she said.
Joan Brock is a freelance contributor to the News Sentinel.
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